South Sudan TPS Ends Jan 5, 2026: Plan B Options for Holders

(SOUTH SUDAN) The United States 🇺🇸 will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudan on January 5, 2026, DHS said, affecting about 210 people. Secretary Kristi Noem announced the decision on November 5, 2025, and DHS confirmed it in a Federal Register notice published November 6, 2025 this week.

For families who have built lives under TPS since South Sudan’s 2014 designation, the end date means work permits and protection from removal expire soon. The termination follows a brief six‑month extension and redesignation announced May 6, 2025, that kept coverage in place through November 3, 2025 for many holders. DHS said conditions no longer meet the legal test for TPS, a humanitarian tool used when war or disasters make return unsafe in practice today.

Political response and context

Critics, including lawmakers pressing the department in December 2025, point to continued clashes, human rights abuses, and a U.N.-declared security emergency inside South Sudan now.

• Representative Deborah Ross led a bipartisan letter urging Noem and Secretary Marco Rubio to grant another six months, citing 400,000 displaced since March 2025 violence.
• No response was reported in the provided materials, and there is no court order blocking the South Sudan decision, unlike Syria’s case so far.

The practical effect is stark: after January 5, 2026, a TPS holder who has no other status becomes removable under U.S. law if found out. Those who already have green cards, refugee status, or another valid visa are not stripped of that status by TPS ending — but paperwork still matters.

Employment Authorization and employer responsibilities

USCIS has said certain Employment Authorization Documents in categories A12 or C19, with older expiration dates, stay valid through January 5, 2026 for this group.

• This includes cards showing expirations of November 3, 2025, May 3, 2025, or November 3, 2023, tied to South Sudan TPS in agency guidance only.
• Employers, however, cannot treat that grace period casually, because federal I‑9 rules require reverification of work authorization for these workers by January 6, 2026.

If an employee cannot show a new valid document by that date, the employer must stop employment or risk penalties, including fines up to $27,000 per violation. For many South Sudanese beneficiaries, the bigger fear is what happens outside the workplace, as TPS is also a shield against deportation during routine checks.

Important: once TPS protection ends, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can place someone into removal proceedings unless another form of lawful status applies based on records alone.

Who is covered by the termination

DHS said the termination applies to:

• South Sudanese nationals, and
• Stateless people whose last habitual residence was South Sudan.

Community advocates say the group is small — about 210 people — but the stakes are life changing, because many have spouses, children, and mortgages in America right now. The Federal Register notice ends the automatic extensions that often came with prior TPS renewals, leaving holders to find what many call a “plan B.”

Practical next steps: planning alternative immigration paths

In practice, people should check whether a family petition, a job-based case, or a humanitarian filing could keep them lawfully present after January 2026 arrives. Lawyers often start by reviewing:

• Entry records, old I‑94s, and any prior arrests (even dismissed cases can affect options).
• Pending applications, old receipts, or court records, which may become critical documents later.

USCIS processing times can be long: the source notes 6 to 24 months for cases like green card adjustment or asylum from filing dates.

Common forms and options mentioned in the source (links preserved):

• Family‑based petitions: Form I-130
• Adjustment of status: Form I-485
• Asylum: Form I-589 — caveat: weak filings can harm later cases for years to come
• Employment authorization: Form I-765
• Advance parole / travel documents: Form I-131

USCIS maintains a public page on TPS country designations; South Sudanese holders are expected to monitor updates on the official TPS information page: official TPS information page. That page also links to Federal Register notices and helps people confirm which Employment Authorization Document dates qualify for automatic extension through the termination window.

Travel, filing costs, and timing concerns

• Travel can become risky: the source advises against leaving without advance parole because return is not guaranteed afterward.
• Advocates say the timing is brutal: it lands after holiday travel and when many families are short on cash for legal fees and filing.

Estimated filing costs in the source roughly range from about $500 to $1,225 plus biometrics; fee waivers may be possible depending on the form and proof.

Risks of delays and unlawful presence

At the same time, unpaid planning delays can leave someone working without permission, which may trigger unlawful presence penalties later under the familiar 3‑ and 10‑year bars, tied to more than 180 or 365 days of unlawful presence before leaving the country.

Broader wave of TPS terminations

While DHS action hits a limited South Sudan caseload, it sits inside a broader set of terminations affecting over 17,000 people. Other recent moves include:

• Afghanistan — July 2025
• Cameroon — August 2025
• Burma — ending January 26, 2026 (3,670 people)
• Haiti — ending February 3, 2026
• Ethiopia — ending February 13, 2026 (5,000 people)

These numbers show how quickly protections can change from one notice to the next and have made many TPS communities doubt that reversals will come.

Document preservation and evidence tips

For South Sudanese households, the immediate clock is set by paperwork. The source advises people to:

• Request certified dispositions rather than informal printouts, because USCIS officers often reject incomplete records.
• Keep proof of any filing, including receipt notices, close at hand when traveling or meeting police (VisaVerge.com recommendation).
• Save documents in cloud accounts and set childcare plans in case of detention or arrest.

Immigration attorneys often warn that panic filings can backfire; people should get screened before sending forms to any agency.

Employer actions and worker options

For employers: identify staff with A12 or C19 cards and prepare lawful reverification before the deadline.

For workers: possible routes include:

• Job-based options (e.g., H‑1B) — require specific jobs and credentials, and employer willingness.
• Family-based paths, including marriage to a U.S. citizen — entry history may control adjustability.
• Humanitarian options like VAWA, U visas, and T visas for victims of abuse or crime (no case counts provided).

Administrative and enforcement uncertainty

DHS did not describe an enforcement plan for the day after TPS ends in the provided material, but past terminations suggest quick action once databases update. That uncertainty is why families are urged to keep filings and proof handy.

Key takeaway: until a new notice appears, the official date stands — South Sudan’s TPS chapter closes on January 5, 2026. People affected should watch for updates, gather records, and seek qualified legal help, because after that date routine life can bring risk without warning.